Raymond (Miss.) Hinds C.C. defensive end Leon Mackey signed a National Letter of Intent with Texas Tech on Wednesday morning. The four-star prospect chose the Red Raiders over a group of finalists that included Mississippi State, South Carolina and Tennessee.

Tech was a surprise choice for Mackey -- he was thought to be a strong lean to Mississippi State -- but it seems that his close relationship with the program's defensive ends/outside linebackers coach Robert Prunty won out in the end. Mackey spent the 2007 and 2008 seasons at Hargrave Military Academy learning under Prunty, who was the team's head coach at the time.

Word began to spread of Mackey's choice in the early hours of Wednesday morning, when he switched his Facebook profile photo to a picture of Tech's Double T logo.

Mackey, who registered 88 tackles, 28.5 tackles for loss and 15 sacks in two seasons at Hinds, is ranked the seventh-best junior college prospect in the country by Rivals.com. He also held offers from Alabama, Baylor, Houston, Ole Miss and Southern Miss.